The present invention relates to a terminal block device. More particularly, the invention relates to a terminal block device to which a plurality of first wires and a plurality of second wires electrically are to be connected.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-199191 discloses a terminal block device that includes a resin support and an insert bolt that is partially embedded in the resin support. The insert bolt includes a bolt, a nut that is screwed onto the bolt. The bolt has a head portion, a threaded portion, and a flange portion that has a shape of a collar formed around an edge of the head portion on the threaded portion side. The nut as screwed onto the threaded portion of the bolt has on the side thereof adjacent to the head portion of the bolt a first end surface that contacts with the head portion of the bolt and on the opposite side thereof a second end surface from which part of the threaded portion of the bolt extends out. With the nut screwed on the bolt, the head portion and the flange portion of the bolt and the nut are embedded in the resin support with the second end surface of the nut exposed above the surface of the support.
According to the terminal block device disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-199191, mounting a crimp terminal to the terminal block device is performed by firstly placing the crimp terminal onto the second end surface of the nut that is exposed above the surface of the resin support and then fastening tight the crimp terminal by a fixing nut until the crimp terminal firmly contacts with the second end surface of the nut. The fastened crimp terminal is pressed against the second end surface of the nut, so that the second end surface of the nut is subjected to a pressure. Therefore, no pressure is applied from the fixing nut to the support and no creep or cold flow occurs in the resin support, and re-tightening of the fixing nut is unnecessary.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2005-318742 discloses an electric motor that includes a motor body. The motor body includes a rotor fixed on a shaft, a cylindrical stator disposed around the rotor, an end bracket that covers one end of the stator, and another end bracket that covers the other end of the stator. The stator has a stator winding and a plurality of external connection terminals each including a lead wire is connected to the stator winding. The electric motor further includes a plurality of terminal blocks to which the respective external connection terminals are connected, a terminal cover that covers the external connection terminals and the terminal blocks, and a mounting bracket for mounting the terminal blocks and the terminal cover to the motor body. The external connection terminals are disposed in an L-shape extending from the stator winding radially outwardly and then along the stator in an axial direction of the electric motor.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2010-74958 discloses a method for manufacturing a motor, and the motor. The motor disclosed in the above Publication includes a cylindrical frame and a first end bracket that is connected to the rear end of the cylindrical frame. The first end bracket substantially closes an entire opening of the frame at the rear end thereof. An opening is formed between the frame and a first end bracket in upper part thereof. A terminal block is disposed in the opening and fixed to the upper outer surface of the frame. The terminal block includes a terminal block body that has a cuboid shape and is made of a resin and a plurality of bolts that are inserted through the resin terminal block body. The bolts are inserted such that ends of the bolts extend out from or above the upper surface of the terminal block body. The terminal block body is disposed such that the rear surface of the terminal block body faces toward the first end bracket through the terminal block accommodating opening.
The stator includes an iron core having first and second coil ends and a winding wound around the iron core, and a plurality of lead wires of different phases extends out from the first coil end. A round crimp terminal as a connection terminal is fixed to an end of each lead wire. The lead wires extend radially outwardly from the first coil end and bent in an arc shape so as to be directed to the terminal blocks. The round crimp terminals for the respective lead wires are fixed to the terminal blocks by a bolt. Each lead wire is electrically connected to its corresponding terminal block through the round crimp terminal.
However, the terminal block disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2012-1991191 has a plurality of terminals connected thereto and the terminals are isolated from one another by partition members for insulation of the wires. Such configuration of the terminal block allows the wires to be arranged or oriented only in one direction. Furthermore, in the terminal block disclosed in the same Publication, a part of the bolt and the nut that is screwed onto the bolt need to be fixed within the molded resin support. Although some terminal blocks allow selection of the orienting direction of wires out of two directions, there still remain problems associated with the restriction of orienting direction of wires for connection to the terminal block, thus limiting the freedom in the wire connection.
In Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publications No. 2005-318742 and No. 2010-74958, the lead wires of different phases are extended out from the stator, bent into an L-shape or an arc shape, and connected to the respective terminal blocks. Therefore, depending on the manner of bending, the wires may be bent to such an extent that no sufficient insulation distance is provided between the wires and the end bracket. In order to secure a sufficient insulation distance between the wires and the end bracket, the degree of bending of the wire needs to be determined accurately for connecting the wires to the terminal blocks, which makes the connecting work troublesome and time consuming.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems and it is a first object of the invention to provide a terminal block device that allows an enhanced freedom in the orienting direction of wires for connection to the terminal block device, requires no resin support that is molded with conductive members embedded therein and therefore is capable of preventing creep in the material of the support.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a terminal block device that allows connection of wires to a terminal block irrespective of the degree of bending of the wires.